Performance based approval in CMS workflow process

Abstract

A method for testing a new workflowed item associated with a workflow process in a content management system (CMS) is provided. The method may include adding a workflow stage to the workflow process in the content management system (CMS). The method may also include adding a test associated with the workflow stage. The method may further include determining if a criteria threshold is met based on the test associated with the workflow stage. Additionally, the method may include publishing the new workflowed item based on the criteria threshold being met.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer system for testing a new workflowed item associated with an online workflow process in an online content management system (CMS), the computer system comprising:
 one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage media, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the computer system performs a method comprising: 
 receiving a workflow stage, wherein the received workflow stage is a performance test stage that was entered electronically, via a graphical user interface associated with the online content management system (CMS), and wherein the graphical user interface is associated with a web browser running on a first computer that electronically accesses the online content management system (CMS) running on a second computer; 
 determining if the received workflow stage is tentatively approved to be added to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS), wherein determining if the received workflow stage is tentatively approved comprises determining a tentatively approved action associated with the work flow item has occurred; 
 in response to determining the received workflow stage is tentatively approved to be added to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS), adding the received workflow stage to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS); 
 adding a first version of a test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 adding a second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 displaying the second version of the added test to a second proportion of a plurality of end-users associated with the online content management system (CMS); 
 displaying a currently published version of the received workflow stage to a third proportion of the plurality of end-users associated with the online content management system (CMS); 
 determining if a criteria threshold is met and a time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test associated with the received workflow stage, wherein the determining that the criteria threshold is met comprises a determination that there is no degradation in performance across a plurality of measurable performance criteria, wherein the measurable performance criteria includes a rendering performance, a return rate, a time on a page, a click-through rate, and a sale rate; 
 determining if the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 in response to a determination that either
 the criteria threshold is met and a time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test or 
 that the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test, 
 
 electronically sending a comparison of the plurality of criteria results for the displayed added first version of the test, the displayed added second version of the test, and the displayed currently published version to a content author or an approver based on the determining if the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met for the displayed added first version or the displayed added second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 in response to receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish the displayed added first version of the test, electronically publishing the displayed added first version of the test, wherein electronically publishing the displayed added first version of the test includes displaying the added first version of the test to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion; 
 in response to receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish the displayed added second version of the test, electronically publishing the displayed added second version of the test, wherein electronically publishing the displayed added first version of the test includes displaying the added second version of the test to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion; and 
 in response to either
 a determination that the time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test, that the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test, that the criteria threshold is not met based on the displayed added first version of the test, and that the criteria threshold is not met based on the displayed added second version of the test, or 
 where responsive to the comparison of the a plurality of criteria results for the displayed added first version of the test, the displayed added second version of the test, and the displayed currently published version have been sent to the content author or the approver, not receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish either the displayed added first version of the test of the displayed added second version of the test, 
 
 electronically displaying the currently published version of the received workflow stage to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the test comprises a variant test. 
     
     
       3. The computer system of  claim 2 , wherein the variant test comprises a comparison between the new workflowed item and an old workflowed item. 
     
     
       4. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the workflow stage comprises at least one of a time limit determining a length of time a variant test should run and a duration of the variant test based on a number of views of the content, or a statistical significance of a performance test measurement. 
     
     
       5. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the publishing the new workflowed item comprises the removal of an old workflowed item from a website. 
     
     
       6. The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein publishing the new workflowed item comprises promoting the new wokflowed item as a primary item on a website. 
     
     
       7. A computer program product for testing a new workflowed item associated with an online workflow process in an online content management system (CMS), the computer program product comprising:
 one or more computer-readable tangible storage medium and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more tangible storage medium, the program instructions executable by a processor, the program instructions comprising: 
 program instructions to receive a workflow stage, wherein the received workflow stage is a performance test stage that was entered electronically, via a graphical user interface associated with the online content management system (CMS), and wherein the graphical user interface is associated with a web browser running on a first computer that electronically accesses the online content management system (CMS) running on a second computer; 
 program instructions to determine if the received workflow stage is tentatively approved to be added to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS), wherein determining if the received workflow stage is tentatively approved comprises determining a tentatively approved action associated with the work flow item has occurred; 
 in response to determining the received workflow stage is tentatively approved to be added to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS), program instructions to add the received workflow stage to the workflow process in the online content management system (CMS); 
 program instructions to add a first version of a test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 program instructions to display the first version of the added test to a first proportion of a plurality of end-users associated with the online content management system (CMS); 
 program instructions to add a second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 program instructions to display the second version of the added test to a second proportion of a plurality of end-users associated with the online content management system (CMS); 
 program instructions to display a currently published version of the received workflow stage to a third proportion of the plurality of end-users associated with the online content management system (CMS); 
 program instructions to determine if a criteria threshold is met and a time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test associated with the received workflow stage, wherein the determining that the criteria threshold is met comprises a determination that there is no degradation in performance across a plurality of measurable performance criteria, wherein the measurable performance criteria includes a rendering performance, a return rate, a time on a page, a click-through rate, and a sale rate; 
 program instructions to determine if the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 program instructions to, in response to a determination that either
 the criteria threshold is met and a time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test or 
 that the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test, 
 
 electronically send a comparison of the a plurality of criteria results for the displayed added first version of the test, the displayed added second version of the test, and the displayed currently published version to a content author or an approver based on the determining if the criteria threshold is met and the time limit is met for the displayed added first version or the displayed added second version of the test associated with the received workflow stage; 
 in response to receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish the displayed added first version of the test, program instructions to electronically publish the displayed added first version of the test, wherein electronically publishing the displayed added first version of the test includes displaying the added first version of the test to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion; and 
 in response to receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish the displayed added second version of the test, program instructions to electronically publish the displayed added second version of the test, wherein electronically publishing the displayed added first version of the test includes displaying the added second version of the test to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion; and 
 program instructions to, in response to either
 a determination that the time limit is met based on the displayed added first version of the test, that the time limit is met based on the displayed added second version of the test, that the criteria threshold is not met based on the displayed added first version of the test, and that the criteria threshold is not met based on the displayed added second version of the test, or 
 where responsive to the comparison of the a plurality of criteria results for the displayed added first version of the test, the displayed added second version of the test, and the displayed currently published version have been sent to the content author or the approver, not receiving electronic approval from the content author or the approver to publish either the displayed added first version of the test of the displayed added second version of the test, 
 
 electronically display the currently published version of the received workflow stage to the first proportion, second proportion, and third proportion. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the test comprises a variant test. 
     
     
       9. The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the variant test comprises a comparison between the new workflowed item and an old workflowed item. 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the workflow stage comprises at least one of a time limit determining a length of time a variant test should run and a duration of the variant test based on a number of views of the content, or a statistical significance of a performance test measurement. 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 7 , wherein the publishing the new workflowed item comprises the removal of an old workflowed item from a website.